Whether your car is new or has many thousands of miles on it, you may be considering paint correction. The idea of swirl marks or superficial marring in your paint drives you mad. You’ve now found a qualified paint correction expert, Detailed Designs Auto Spa, and are ready to pull the trigger on correction. Can we make your paint amazing or better than new? Sure. But should you have paint correction performed? At Detailed Designs Auto Spa, it is not our goal to just sell you services. We want the services to be an ideal fit for your needs.

In the perfect world we would all have perfected and refined paint. But due to either something we’ve done or forces outside of our control, swirl marks can happen. One of the biggest reasons to give strong consideration as to if you qualify for paint correction or not is the cost. True paint correction is not inexpensive. The prep work is time consuming. The expertise needed for amazing results is rare. Products used are expensive to own and maintain. As well as the actual paint correction being incredibly labor intensive, hard on the body and taking a toll on those doing the work. It truly is one of the cases where you get what you pay for. There are countless ways to cut corners. But the real deal is serious, expensive and yet stands well above the imitators at the end of the day.

Your money is valuable too though. To earn it, you’ve given up family time, worked over time, given of yourself emotionally, possibly endured stress from day to day and yet you do not have an unlimited supply of it. Whenever you spend your money, you hope that the one accepting it understands its real value. Quite frankly, they should really be looking out for your best interest. Not finding excuses to take as much as they can get.

Paint correction is one of those services that does not fit everyone’s needs. Sure, your paint will look amazing. But at what cost? When you’re spending $1,000+ to correct paint, it should be a value that reaches beyond a few weeks. We tell our clients that with paint correction, two years down the road you should be able to look back fondly at the experience and the value you’ve received. For you to value it, it should really be evident that you had it done from two years in the future. For it to look great years down the road, proper maintenance is required. Ideally, something as intensive as our gold paint correction package would be performed once in a car’s present owner’s lifetime.

Paint correction means commitment. To correct the paint is to level the clear coat (read more here), as opposed to just filling defects that will show again once the filler is washed out. Maybe your current damage was caused by bird droppings, bug marks, organic fallout, acid rain, hard water(well water), or it was caused by neglect such as poor washing/drying techniques. For paint correction to make sense, proper care and technique during washing and drying is a necessity. If you have no interest in proper washing and drying techniques the damage repaired will come back. The damage that paint correction repairs is damage that is mostly avoidable. Proper washing and drying technique probably play the largest role in avoiding that damage. If you’ve had paint correction performed and are tempted to run it through the automated car wash or the ‘corner car wash’ because you’re short on time, just remember that the car being dirty a few extra days will be okay. But just one bad wash can undo a lot of beauty.

Damage from bug marks or bird droppings should be cleaned as soon as possible due to their acidic nature. The earlier you can address bug marks and bird droppings, the better. Black paint can reach upwards of 180 degrees in the summer sunlight. It can take absolutely no time for a bird dropping to bake on your paint in that kind of heat. In that regard, some damage can be unavoidable.

Moving forward, it’s important to understand that a car that has had paint correction demands more respect and should be treated differently. Your paint now looks stunning. It looks much richer, glossier and has more luster than when it was new. To keep it looking that way means you treat it like a fine automobile should be treated. The payoff is owning a piece of art that you won’t get tired of looking at and is worth more.

“My car is new though…”

But your car is brand new. Why are we talking about paint correction on a brand new car? Because many brand new cars come from the factory and/or dealership with defects that merit being addressed with paint correction. We’ve seen brand new cars with wet sanding that was not finished down properly from the factory, dealership detailers creating swirl marks or lot washers having hammered the paint. This does not have to be due to malice on the part of the factory or dealership. It’s just not common that there is a paint expert on staff to use safe methods, products that are not designed to fill paint defects or encourage proper ideal paint care.

If your car is almost new and yet has experienced a car wash or detail that was negligent, you may already have damage that would require paint correction to repair.

If you have ordered your new car or you expect to purchase a new car soon, we encourage you to request that no washes, detailing or new car prep(shipping film removal) is performed on the car prior to your taking delivery. This will minimize the opportunity for new damage to be created. The best case scenario is you end up with factory paint that does not require extensive paint correction.

The paint is corrected and you want to protect it

Because paint correction is supposed to be a permanent solution to the swirl marks or defects in your paint, you want to do everything in your power to protect your investment. We offer multiple protection options to our paint correction clients.

Another option is to take advantage of one of our quality coating options. Coatings lay on the clear coat of the car substantially thicker and harder than waxes or sealants. Where typical waxes lay on wax with a thickness of approximately .1μm (micron).CQuartz Finest lays at a thickness of 2-3μm.Modesta coatings lay at a thickness of 3-5μm
These coating systems not only lay much thicker than waxes do, they do a better job repelling dirt and are more scratch and chemical resistant resistant. Because they offer many years of wax-free care, paint coating systems also ease longterm maintenance needs of the car. All coatings have their own characteristics. For more information about the exclusive coatings we offer reach out to us and we will be happy to guide you to the coating that fits your needs.

Clear bra installation just may be the most intense protection available for car paint. Clear bra is a clear urethane film that is applied to the surface of the paint and is virtually invisible. Clear bra film lays on the paint at a thickness of 6 mils (152.4μm/microns). Clear bra offers protection from the natural elements, swirl marks and rock chips, which no coating or wax can provide. For more information on clear bra installation in Atlanta.

The ultimate in protection would be clear bra installed with a coating over the clear bra. This gives you the best physical protection along with years of eased maintenance.

You know you want paint correction. Now what?

You’ve weighed the pro’s and con’s and are certain that paint correction is exactly what you want for your pride and joy. The next step is to call Detailed Designs Auto Spa in Atlanta at 678-859-1795 and set up an in-person consultation so that we can look over your car with you and find the best paint correction solution for how you live with your car. Detailed Designs Auto Spa is qualified to spend as much time as required to truly restore your paint to a stunning condition without abbreviating the service and cutting corners. We know you’re looking for the best quality service and experience available and guarantee you will be completely satisfied with your decision to bring your car to us for a professional car detailing and paint correction.

You live in the greater Atlanta area and have just purchased a new car. The dealership has attempted to sell you clear bra but you’ve heard how much they mark it up, are unsure of the ability of their installer and have decided to search for a qualified installer yourself. How do you find the most qualified clear bra installer in the Atlanta area? Let us explain why Detailed Designs Auto Spa is the best solution for your clear bra installation needs.

The industry

Let me take a moment to give you some insight into the clear bra installation market and why it’s important that you’re critical of who installs your clear bra.

For clear bra installers, there are a few routes for going from not installing clear bra to being considered an “installer”. The most preferable routes are either training under another qualified installer, and hoping you’re not being trained with poor habits or an uncritical eye, or you travel to a training center to receive training that lasts only a few days. The other route is to buy a bulk roll of film and just start installing and figure it out as you go. But just because someone received training or they learned on their own does not equate to quality installations while ensuring there is no damage created. The X-factor in clear bra installation is the eye for detail and mentality of the installer. Some guys are just not cut out to install film because they are hung up on being fast, trying to salvage installed film that should be replaced or don’t care to give it the added time and attention it requires.

A large amount of dealerships appear to use the guys who buy bulk film and wing it on the install. This is apparent when looking at an installation that has inconsistent edges. The draw for many installers and dealerships who use this type of installer is that there is lower overhead. Using the computer run vinyl plotters to cut the precision patterns is expensive and requires a location to cut the patterns. We believe there is a place for custom cut installations. But that it should mostly be kept for installations that do not have precision computer cut patterns available.

A bad bulk clear bra installation

One of our quality clear bra installations

Unskilled bulk installers regularly cut through the film which causes cuts in the paint. It’s not unusual for us to remove another bulk installers film and find cuts to the paint.

Detailed Designs Auto Spa has 3 large format plotters. Our goal is to be able to offer the highest quality precision cut patterns. We’ve been trained by industry professionals from multiple training institutes and have years of real world clear bra installs. We are trained and qualified to safely perform custom clear bra installations as well as installing computer cut patterns.

Who are we?

My name is Jean-Claude Corcoran. I own and operate Detailed Designs Auto Spa and have been a professional in the industry since 2007. I am an apple that didn’t fall from the tree. My father was a car nut and I’ve been my whole life as well. As a car enthusiast, I aim for results that are as close to perfection as possible. My staff and I give you what we would give ourselves for a given service. With our high standards, this translates to quality that is by itself in the Atlanta area. Quality is assured because I take the lead on every project.

What Detailed Designs Auto Spa is not, is a volume shop. In the automotive industry, the big bucks are in volume work which typically translates to dealership work. We’ve focused on caring for automotive enthusiast and the more demanding retail clients. Our integrity to quality forbids us from pursuing volume work. By focusing on clients like you, we are structured to make you our #1 priority.

Detailed Designs Auto Spa has a commercial shop that is dedicated to our craft. We are conveniently located just 13 minutes outside of 285 and less than 1 mile from I-20.

Detailed Designs Auto Spa has a track record of providing some of the finest paint correction services in the United States. Our extensive knowledge of exterior paint care gives us an upper hand when it comes to the preparation and installation of clear bra on automobiles. Many shops choose to take the quickest routes possible when it comes to preparation of the paint for clear bra installation. This leads to extensive damage to the clear coat. Nobody wants swirl marks, marring or scratches in the finish of their new car. Using a shop that specializes in paint correction, like ours, ensures that if/when the clear bra film is removed the paint looks as good as when you left it with us.

With paint correction you get the best looking paint possible

Added value

At Detailed Designs Auto Spa, offering a complete line of new car protection options is important. We are the only shop in Georgia that offers clear bra installations, nano paint coating systems, interior coating options, paint correction and restorative detailing services at one location. Some shops offer individual services. Only Detailed Designs Auto Spa offers this line of services and has a thorough understanding of how they work together. Some of the ways we stay on top of industry trends and advances is by being pre-release product testers, constantly refining our procedures and products use, producing online education content for other professionals, mentoring new industry professionals in other states, offering ongoing car care training for our clients, being an ‘Ask a Pro‘ author and keeping in close contact with other like-minded industry experts.

Communication is one of the most important aspects in business. Instead of building up how well we communicate with our clients, I’ll offer that after a single call you will have a good understanding of how well we communicate and make our focus what your needs are.

We understand that your time is valuable and that’s why we offer automobile and passenger pick up and drop off. Are you too busy to bring your car to us? For a reasonable fee, we will pick up and/or drop off your car after the clear bra has been installed.

The bottom line

We want you to be comfortable with your purchase and experience when doing business with us. It’s easy for any business to claim anything. All of our services are backed by a satisfaction guarantee.

When you call Detailed Designs Auto Spa for your clear bra or paint coating installation, you can know that you’re talking to industry professionals that take pride in their work. As the owner and the team lead on your project, I am always available to my clients. Call us today to learn more about your longterm quality car care options.

Stain-resistance and ease of cleaning thanks to the hardness of the coating film are the most prominent characteristics of the BC-06 glass coating. This thin silica film made from perhydropolysilazane protects the car body and wheels from dust in raindrops that may penetrate soft paints or other painted surfaces and can be removed only with great effort. Thanks to the BC-06 protection cleaning is less intense.

Modesta BC-06 undergoes a chemical reaction when it comes in contact with a painted surface, creating a hard glass coating. It has a tightly packed molecular structure that creates a solid, long-lasting surface. BC-06 is heatproof up to 1,300 °C – enough to protect wheels from burning-hot brake dust.

Modesta BC-06 lasts 3 – 10 years.

Detailed Designs Auto Spa is proud to be Atlanta’s only Modesta authorized installer.

70 degrees and sunny with an easy breeze. You’re itching to hit the road. Whether it’s the mountains, the golf course or you’re just driving to work there’s always that chance for a cosmetic accident, ….bug marks or bird droppings. After all, they don’t call them accidents because you planned on having one.

With that said, you can be prepared for a cosmetic accident. Bird droppings, bug marks, tree sap and road goo can impact the health of your paint any time you hit the road. By planning ahead and keeping just a few products in your boot, you can be well prepared to fend off these common enemies to every car enthusiast.

Bird droppings can wreak havoc on paint

Bird droppings and bug marks can etch your clear coat after just a few minutes. Tree sap left on paint can lead to it curing and being near impossible to remove. Chemicals and liquid substances from the road will be more difficult to remove the longer it’s left on the paint. Time is a major factor in all of these circumstances. The faster you can remove the contaminants, the healthier your paint will stay.

There are really only a few products you need that will tackle 99% of the potential problems you can encounter for an emergency.
1) Microfiber Towel(s)
2) Quick Detailer Spray
3) pH-neutral cutting agent

Microfiber Towel:
This towel will provide a gentle means to grab and remove the contaminants after they have been treated.

Quick Detailer:
This is the least aggressive product you can treat a contaminant with. There is a nice variety of products that you can use. I formulate my own quick detailer from Optimum No-Rinse.

pH-neutral Cutting Agent:
This is what you will use to cut heavier contaminants. I am a huge fan of p21s Total Auto Wash.

As far as technique is concerned, there are a number of routes you can take.

If the problem is a fresh bird dropping, try folding up the microfiber towel, spraying one side and place it on the dropping. With minimal time to sit on the dropping, it should wipe up easily. The same technique can be used on a fresh bug mark.

If you’re looking at a heavier contaminant like tree sap, try this. Spray the microfiber towel with the p21s TAW and allow it to dwell for a few minutes. Remove the towel from the paint, flip the towel and spray some p21s TAW on the reverse side and then gently wipe the tree sap. If the sap cleaned up, refold the towel and spray some quick detailer on an unused portion. Wipe the p21s TAW residue off of the paint. Repeat with a different microfiber towel if the one you were using is too wet with cutting agent. This same method can be used on road tar, paint or other heavy road liquids.

If the pH-neutral cutting agent is not biting into the contaminant enough, make arrangements to wash the car soon and get as aggressive as required. Some substances will not simply break down with lighter cleaning agents. The goal is to lightly remove substances quickly, not get so aggressive that you generate surface damage with heavy force.

When doing a spot clean while out and about, do not leave cutting agent residue on the paint in direct sunlight and always follow up your heavier cleaning option with quick detailer. This will ensure that you do not cause chemical filming on the paint which can be very difficult to remove.

By keeping these few items with your automobile at all times, you will be well prepared to take care of many of those common “aww man!” moments that hits at the most inopportune time.

Once your car has corrected paint, it is VITAL that you take as best care of it as you can! If you don’t, you will end up with more swirls and scratches.

Your wash should begin with cleaning the wheels. Check out our page dedicated to cleaning wheels for more information on a safe and thorough method.

For vinyl trim, use a non-caustic cleaner like 1z Plastic Deep Cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the wetted vinyl surface and agitate with a soft bristle brush. For very dirty surfaces, you may need to also wipe down the vinyl with a microfiber towel. Multiple treatments may be required. Rinse vinyl and paint surfaces below the vinyl until all residue is removed. It’s important, as with all cleaners on hard surfaces, to not allow the chemical to dry out. You will be left with a film that may be difficult to remove.

Pre-rinse

Apply cleaner

Agitate

Wipe with microfiber towel

Start your wash with a foam pre-treat. I suggest you purchase a foamer lance for your pressure washer. It will allow you to apply a thick foam pre-treat with a degreaser, like p21s total auto wash, liberally with minimal effort. Allow it to sit for a few minutes then simply wash it all off with water. **doing this in direct sunlight on a hot day is not suggested as you may end up with filming/residue**

Foam pre-treat

The gaps between panels and hidden spots like the gas cap area tend to collect grime. Use a pH balanced cleaner like p21s Total Auto Wash and a soft bristle brush to agitate. Rinse after cleaning.

Treat with p21s Total Auto Wash

Agitate then rinse

The best wash method that will minimize creating new swirl marks is the two bucket wash method. You will need two clean wash buckets along with grit guards in each bucket. This will keep the dirt in the bottom of the buckets and the mitt above the dirtiest part of the water. One bucket will be used as a shampoo bucket and one as the fresh water bucket. Treat your shampoo bucket as the one you will wash your car from and the fresh water bucket will be the one you clean your wash mitt with AFTER touching the car but BEFORE you dip back into your shampoo bucket. The fresh water bucket will act as a mini-washing machine for your mitt. The idea is that you keep your shampoo water as clean as possible because it’s the one your actually washing your car from.

Two bucket method

It can’t hurt to have another bucket and wash mitt for doing the lower panels of the car. Lower sections will inevitably get dirtier than the upper areas. Why intermingle areas that are more prone to heavier filth?

Do not be reluctant to dump the water out of the buckets and refill before you finish your car if the water gets notably dirty.

You will keep a separate bucket for cleaning wheels and tires. There’s far too much risk of contaminating your wash buckets. Never intermix wheel buckets and wash buckets.

Use a quality wash mitt. Sponges are no nos because they trap dirt against the paint. Use something similar to a sheep skin mitt, a quality micro chenille or a microfiber wrapped sponge. You want to keep as deep a nap as you can on your wash media. This enables it to keep the dirt from being trapped between the paint and the wash media.

A good mitt is only so good by itself. A quality shampoo that will lubricate the surface and do a fine job loosening dirt is a requirement. I prefer 1z Einszett Perls Shampoo.

A nice selection of products designed to clean specific trouble areas like bug marks and road tar are good to keep on hand. This will allow you to clean thoroughly without using too much pressure and creating new swirls marks. Tar can be removed with Stoner’s Tarminator.

No Mr. Miyagi wax on, wax off -circular motions allowed while washing. Wash in straight lines as best as you can.

Ideally, washing from the top down is the best. The top portions tend to not be as dirty as lower portions. Working the from the top to bottom lends itself to a more gentle wash.

Following these tips will lead to a thorough wash that is more of a mini-detail than a car wash. You will be cleaning better and safer than any corner car wash shop.

Have any questions about washing? Feel free to post up any questions and I will get back with you as soon as I can.

At some point or another, all of us are going to call upon a professional car detailer to take care of us and our car, boat or plane. Maybe you usually take care of your personal detailing needs yourself. But inevitably, someone will spill a coffee that leaves a smell and stain, a shopping cart will scuff your door or maybe swirl marks in the paint job will get too bad and you’ll need a professional’s touch.

Maybe you have been using professional car detailers but have not been satisfied. I know that most people will say that after having their car detailed they will always find something that was done poorly.

This article is about how to find that *special* someone that will take care of your car as well as you. For most people, an automobile will be the second most expensive purchase in their life, behind a home. You’d better be sure you’ve found the right person before you hand your keys over to a stranger!

I offer this information with experience as a professional car detailer and business owner. I am the owner of a detail shop that specializes in quality paint protection film and clear bra, restorative detailing and paint correction serving the greater Atlanta area.

When you first begin your search for the right company and person to take care of you, be aware that the industry has some major flaws. The majority of professional car detailers are going to be uninsured, newly formed/inexperienced or are just looking for a quick buck. There are no organizations that a quality and legitimate company will be a part of that will set them apart from those types of companies. It is completely up to you to distinguish who will be the right fit. I am going to give you information that will make it easier to decipher who’s real and who’s not.

This will be done by spending some time, on the phone or in-person, with the detailer and asking a few key questions.

1)Insurance

Why is insurance so important? It may seem a small thing, but insurance is a safety net for you as well as the company. I doubt any company would intentionally damage a car, but it still happens. That’s why it’s called an accident. Some accidents can be paid out of the pocket and some can ruin a life. If a company does not have insurance and an accident were to occur, chances are it will effect you far more than the company. After all, it’s your car. So it’s your pocket and wallet that will suffer should an accident occur.

Why don’t most companies carry insurance if it’s so vital? The answer is very simple and I am sure you already know the answer…dollars and cents. Garage keeper’s insurance is very expensive. Many professional car detailers do not want to spend $2,000+ per year on something they feel they won’t ever use.

Garage keeper’s insurance is the most ideal type when working on cars. It completely covers a vehicle when someone or a company has taken possession of a car, in a shop or if a car must be driven, say, for a pick up or drop off. Some general liability types of insurance are acceptable. It’s best to make sure your detailer as well as you have a full grasp of what his insurance covers.

Given the chance of costing you a lot of money and headache, as well as the fact a lot of professional car detailers are not going to carry proper coverage, it should be the first topic discussed with the detailer you are interviewing.

You should outright ask them:Do you have insurance? What type? When I drop my car off(or when you come by), may I see proof of insurance? If they do not have insurance, thank them for their time and be on your way. If they are unsure of what they have, that will give you some insight as to how organized they are. Just because they are not sure of what they have does not mean they don’t have insurance and it doesn’t mean you will get a sorry job. You can make the call as to if they are going to be the right fit. In my opinion, if they are unsure of what they have, pass. If everything checks out, move on to the next questions…

2)Newly formed and inexperienced

Many people are experiencing hardships due to layoffs. Unfortunately, many are turning to cheap start-up companies to make some money. “Detailing”(and I use that term loosely here) fits the bill for many looking for a cheap start-up. They can spend $200 on a used shop vac, used pressure washer, some buckets, a mitt, soap, some brushes and a few cleaners and be in business! How exciting! ….erm…no…it’s not exciting, it’s scary.

Why is using an inexperienced “detailer” scary? Because you will be paying them to figure out what works and what doesn’t on your car! Results will be spotted and there’s a far greater risk that you will come away with expensive damage or you’ll be unsatisfied with the results. We live in a time where we all guard our money and want more bang for the buck. If you spend your money and are not completely satisfied, you’re going to be left disappointed and may end up spending more money somewhere else to get a proper job. The most expensive job is the one that is done again, and again, and again…

Think about it this way. What do you do for work? Are you good at it? Why are you good at it? Is the answer because you have been doing it a long time? Maybe you’ve encountered many bumps in the road and know what to do when you come across that odd problem or issue. You’re not intimidated by your job because you know it inside and out. Do you remember when you first started? How much more do you understand and know of your job now with years of experience? Are you worth more to your employer now than when you started? It is the same with professional car detailing. There is no substitute for experience.

You should ask questions that will test the professional car detailer’s knowledge. This is tricky because he should know more than you do. But a few well thought out questions will give you a lot of insight into the detailer. Inquire: Tell me about yourself and/or your business. How long have you been in business?(It’s up to you as to if the answer seems sufficient) How long have you been detailing(if not professionally)?(MANY car enthusiast have a wealth of knowledge and skill in detailing but were not professionals/paid for their services) What products do you use?(Search the internet for reviews on those products. A LOT of shops use cheap products that will only give temporary results and/or may cause lasting damage!) Will you educate me on how to properly care for my car after you’ve detailed it?(If he does not know how to show you how to properly care for your car, he is not properly caring for it either)

3)Quick buck

This is one aspect most people will not think about and it’s a shame. We live in a throw away society. That throw away attitude is not limited to material objects. Many companies view customers as throw away. If they make you upset for any reason, there’s someone behind you to fill the spot. You are nothing but a number. This is bad because they have no tie to you except that money in your pocket, today. If you’re not happy with the job, you will hear, “welp, that’s the best we could do.” Then comes the cold shoulder. You’ve just been replaced. They don’t have a desire to keep you as a lifetime customer. They are not going to give you the attention you deserve. You are a dollar bill and that’s all.

But not all professional car detailing companies feel that way. Some actually value you as a customer as well as an individual with individual wants and concerns.

The absolute best way to find out which type of person or company you are dealing with is to spend a little bit of time with them. What you discuss is not even that important. The truth is, if they care the least bit for you, if your more than just a number to them…they will give you their time. We spend time with our friends because we care for them and like them. It is the same with a business/customer relationship.

In my case, I encourage every new client to make the time for a free consultation. This does two things. It gives me time to find out what’s important to my client and enables me to custom fit services to them. Everyone is different and are looking to get what they want. It also gives my client the ability to get a complete understanding of my company/me and what we do that is so special. Everyone benefits.

When my services are completed I spend time with every client showing them how to properly care for their car, boat or plane. I do not set a time limit on how long I spend with my client. You’ve just spent your hard earned money having it cared for. I encourage everyone to take the time to learn more about proper car care. Knowledge is power and in this case, knowledge is $$$ too. Have a question and you’re hurting for an answer? Call me. I always have time for my clients.

My personal goal is to completely satisfy my clients, educate them and by extension, have a new client for life. If you take advantage of these tips, you can find a detailer who feels the same way I do. You will spend less in the long run, have a better looking and smelling car that is more valuable.

“Yes Sir!! A buff and polish for your car is included in our full detail for only $125! It’s the best deal in town!”

If you’ve heard that, I bet you’ve also heard yourself asking the question, “HOW DID THE SWIRL MARKS COME BACK?!! I just had them fixed!” a few weeks or so after you left with a shiny car.

This article is designed to educate you on the whys and hows of swirl marks and what it takes to finally get rid of them. We will also speak about what causes different surface defects.

The culprit, swirls on a hood.

WHAT ARE THEY?

Swirl marks are light etchings, or scratches, in the top layer of paint that’s called clear coat. (Single stage paint can have swirls as well, but we will be discussing clear coated cars today as cleared cars are what is common for 99.9% of the new cars on the road.) Swirl marks causes refraction of light as opposed to reflecting light cleanly.

Other types of defects include, acid rain marks, holograms or buffer trails, sanding marks, bug marks and bird droppings. The end result is the same on all of these. The top layer of paint, the clear coat, is no longer smooth on a microscopic level and is refracting light.

Clear coat prior to proper preparation for correction.

Most detail shops claim to offer a fix for this. It is commonly referred to as buffing or compounding the paint. What’s so irritating, is after having the paint buffed, most of the time the swirl marks come back. The problem is in that most car washes do not have properly trained techs and they are not going to take enough time to correct the paint. …wait a second! What is correction? We’ll touch on that in a moment…

CLAY BAR

Your paint probably has many surface contaminants in it(please note the image above) as well as the actual scratches and etching. These surface contaminants will not come off of the paint with a wash. They are bonded to the paint and require a means to deep clean or exfoliate. This is where clay bar comes in. Clay bar is used to exfoliate painted surfaces by grabbing the contaminants as it is glided over the paint. Clay bar decontamination is not necessarily a quick process. It takes time to thoroughly remove contaminants. Because clay bar is used to specifically remove contaminants and keep a hold of them, clay bar has a lifespan and must be thrown away once contaminated.

After clay barring a surface, this is how the paint would look if you could have a side view:

After clay barring, the surface is cleaned of contaminants but the defects remain.

If someone were to run a buffing pad over those contaminants without properly clay barring the surface can you imagine how much new damage would be created?

CORRECTION OR FILLER?

Now that your surface is clean of contaminants it’s smooth to the touch. But it still has scratches and looks rough. This is because there has been no correction, only preparation. Correction is the method of leveling the surface of the paint. It is not filling the paint to trick the eyes. Once corrected, the paint will stay looking fantastic as long as no one acts carelessly with bad washing and/or drying techniques. Correction is a permanent solution for your existing swirl marks and scratches.

Correction and filling. Those are your options as a patron of a detail shop. The question is, which one is being done? Do you understand what filling means? It’s exactly as it sounds. It means someone levels the clear coat by means of filling in the defects on a microscopic level. It looks good for the moment but THIS is what causes your swirls to naturally come back, even with proper care. The filler will not stay very long. It will wash out over the course of 2 or 3 thorough washes and you’re right back to where you started, minus $125 or more.

This surface has been filled. Can you see why it won’t stay?

The appeal of using compounds and polishes that have fillers is that they offer an incredibly fast, temporary and cheap fix. A car can be washed and buffed with a filler in about 2-3 hours. What’s been left out is the prep work such as clay barring the surface and taping off sensitive areas that could be stained with polishes, such as rubber seals and gaskets.

A properly trained detailer will do all of the prep work necessary without upcharging for it. It is necessary, not optional.

The right fix for your existing scratches is to receive thorough paint correction. This is done by using corrective compounds and polishes to level the paint. Some may feel spending a more on true correction is unreasonable. What’s unreasonable is paying someone multiple times per year to redo a filler job for the life of the car. What makes sense is paying someone to do it right the first time and forgetting about it. You will also benefit because the paint will look better and your car will be worth more.

This paint has been properly corrected and now looks better than new!

Correction does not have to mean you’re risking taking off too much clear coat. Scratches and swirl marks dictate how much clear coat is removed and in 99% of the cases, it’s about 2% of the paint. A detailer should have and use a paint depth gauge. This will give good insight into how far is too far before they get there.

Who to use?

Whether correcting paint or filling, there is a risk that someone could burn through the clear coat. This is a problem with inexperienced detailers or detailers who feel rushed. It is necessary to realize that proper correction takes time and one should not feel rushed to meet a deadline. It is an art form. Your car is the canvas. Do you want a rushed piece of art or one that the artist took his time to perfect?

If you ask 10 different detail shops if they truly correct the paint or not, 10 of them are going to tell you they will fix the problem. Many are even heartfelt when they answer. The truth is, most don’t understand what real correction is. They are so hung up on getting you to hand them your keys that they will use the cheapest products and the fastest methods that can get them to meet that price point most are looking for. When the filler washes out, you’re weeks down the road and you know it’s going to be a lost battle.

In this case friends, you get what you pay for. True correction takes much longer than using filler because you’re not just filling with silicone, you’re leveling clear coat. Filler can be just run over the surface. One of the biggest tell tales of if someone is truly correcting is in how much they charge and how long they will spend on the car. If they are a legitimate company they will have legitimate expenses and can not afford to spend 10+ hours on a car’s exterior for $125. For a true multiple step correction, it is reasonable for a shop to have 15+ man hours into a single car. In cases where there is major damage or clear coat that is extra hard(difficult to get results on) it may take 40+ hours.

If you’re in the Atlanta market and are searching for a quality solution for your car detailing and paint correction needs, Detailed Designs Auto Spa is qualified to care for your car and will ensure your best interests are cared for. Call us today to schedule a consultation.

Most of the folks reading this blog are going to be folks who are interested in maintaining your vehicles to the highest degree. If you ever have a question or would like to add to information, please do. I appreciate feedback and if there is a way to improve the results, I know I would take advantage of it as well as other folks taking the time to read it.

Thanks for visiting and I look forward to being able to offer ongoing support for your car care needs.